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1898: Who is the killer plaguing the streets of Glasgow?
The Figure in the Photograph
What you need to know before your trail
1898. Juan Cameron’s father is killed while working as a photographer amidst the chaos of war in Cuba, but his last pictures reveal a sinister truth to his final moments. Juan travels to Scotland to grieve with family and immerses himself in the study of photography. When he invents a device that inadvertently solves a crime, local law enforcement recruit him to help stop a brutal serial killer plaguing the streets of Glasgow.
Travel Guide
Travel from Cuba to Glasgow
Cuba
The novel starts off in Cuba during the Spanish-American war. A man is there photographing historic buildings which are going to be destroyed in the war.
Glasgow
Juan Camarón, travels to Scotland to deliver their photographs to their publisher. Once back in Glasgow however, he discovers how much the art of photography has changed. There is a new technique which is helping the police to investigate more effectively, the scene of a crime. The police are using this technique for a murder which has just been committed in the Glasgow slum. . He and another man invent a timer for the camera but there are complications within their partnership.
Photography
Scenes and information about the development of photography are woven into the plot. The words help recreate the sepia coloured images of the photography industry at the time. The tricks and the tools of the trade help flesh out the atmosphere of the novel and help create the setting and location of the time.
BookTrail Boarding Pass: The Figure in the Photograph
Destination/location: Cuba, Glasgow Author/guide: Kevin Sullivan Departure Time: 1898
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